Grow Veggies in Tight Spaces by Bucket Gardening

An ongoing issue when it comes to vegetable gardening is space, or a lack thereof. So many people wish to have veggie gardens at home but feel they cannot do so because they live in apartments or have very small yards. Despite what may seem like size limitations, it is actually possible to have a veggie garden with only minimal space. One way to do this is by bucket gardening.

It is amazing just how far five gallon buckets and planting materials can go in terms of providing your family with delicious veggies. Additionally, bucket gardening is less labor intensive in terms of weeding and there is less wasted soil space. Having buckets to tend to versus a large raised bed is also physically easier on those of us with bad backs, making it all the more appealing to give it a try.

In order to get started on a bucket gardening adventure, you may want to start with some of the easier veggies first. This will enable you to get a feel for the needs of this style of garden while establishing a relationship between your consumption demands and your garden yield. Some of the easier veggies to get you started include lettuce, kale, and chard. There are many varieties of lettuce to choose from, all of which grow well in containers such as buckets. Plus, with it being in a bucket, lettuce can be easily brought inside if the weather doles out any surprises. Kale can be grown year round in buckets without issues and chard behaves similarly to lettuce but with a lengthier growing season. It is also more cold tolerant but has issues with excessive heat.

As you get the hang of bucket gardening, it is possible to step up your production to include many more veggies. Probably the most common staple in the veggie garden is the tomato which is a container friendly plant. All you have to do is stick to smaller varieties in order to work within the bucket space available. Cherry tomatoes, for instance, are ideal for bucket gardening. Also notoriously easy to grow are carrots. The same rule applies about small varieties; these should correspond with the depth of your bucket so full growth potential is reached.

Other good options include bush beans which grow more quickly than other varieties as well as peas which grow well during cool weather. Bush zucchini is great as well but vine squashes are better avoided for the purpose of bucket gardening. The same rule applies to cucumbers unless you are able to train them to vine up a terrace or free wall space. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, potatoes might be worth a shot. Though they are a little more challenging to grow in containers, it is possible to have success in this endeavor. It will be necessary to do so as long as you are able to provide them with a deep container. Just plant a sprouted potato and wait for flowers to appear, then harvest potatoes.

Bucket gardening is a fun concept to keep yourself in veggies you might not otherwise be able to enjoy due to size constraints. Instead of admitting defeat, get out there and plant yourself a little bucket garden today. Even if you are only able to get a portion of the veggies you wish to eat, you are still getting something, not to mention the enjoyment of a garden growing around the space you call home.